ELSEWHERE ON THE GTP NETWORK:

The image above was taken Sunday, and shows a lone house in Gilchrist, Texas, on the Bolivar Peninsula. The Peninsula was on the “dirty side” of hurricane Ike. This area of coastal Texas has been devastated because of Hurricane Ike. Flyover Video Of Gilchrist and Bolivar

The title of this article doesn’t describe it well anymore. I know this is now a long and messy post. I apologize for that, but this is a messy story. This post began with an aerial video of Galveston after Hurricane Ike that people were desperately wanting. Since then, the article has taken on a life of it’s own. I hope it will continue to be a helpful one. It has been linked all over the world, so I am not going to change it’s URL; I will just continue to add to it. There are so many updates, videos, images and links here, and this is the post where I will continue to follow the tragic story of Hurricane Ike, the frustration of the media, the search for the missing, and those directly impacted by the current lack of official information, FEMA and officials. This is not a regional story. It is an American story.

9/23/08: Jeff From MadNonnie.com Updates The Situation On The Bolivar Peninsula

9/23/08: Lighthouse Charity Team On Site, Ready To Help. Want To Make Sure Your Donations Stay Local? Consider Lighthouse. LighthouseCharityTeam.Com9/23/08: Joeygulfshores- Why They Stay; WE Are Our Brothers’ Keeper, Not The Government

Beginning Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 6:00 a.m. all residents will be able to re-enter Galveston Island. You must show photo identification that verifies your Galveston address or place of business at all manned checkpoints. The City of Galveston will distribute advisories as returning residents and business owners enter the island.

Areas Located Behind the Seawall East of 103rd Street/Cove View Lane: All residents and business owners may re-enter the City of Galveston, assess the damage to their property, and determine if they wish to remain in the city. Very limited water, sewer, natural gas, and electric services have been restored to areas behind the Seawall. Areas Not Located Behind the Seawall West of 103rd Street/Cove View Lane: All west end residents/businesses may re-enter the City of Galveston, assess the damage to their property, gather important belongings, and then leave the city to return to safe and more secure locations no later than 6:00 p.m. Water, sewer, natural gas, and electric services have not been restored to areas West of Seawall therefore sanitary living conditions are not available at this time.

9/20/08: Residents of the harder-hit Bolivar Peninsula will start seeing their homes next week, albeit for only a quick peek. And because the main road is impassible in many spots, residents will be loaded into dump trucks and other heavy vehicles for their tour. In Beaumont, near the Louisiana line, authorities lifted a mandatory evacuation order Saturday that had been in effect since Sept. 11, clearing residents to return to the city of 110,000 for the first time in more than a week.

Within minutes of each other on Friday afternoon, Port Arthur Mayor Deloris Prince, Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames and Jefferson County Judge Ron Walker each announced that the Mandatory Evacuation orders in effect for their respective jurisdictions would be lifted, effective at 6 a.m. on Saturday, 9-20-08. The curfews remain in effect, but Jefferson County shortened the hours of their curfew to 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Port Arthur slightly modified their curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., while the Beaumont curfew remained at 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and all three jurisdictions emphasized their curfews would be strictly enforced. Surrounded by city officials, Mayor Ames said that with at least half of Beaumont without power, it is â€œtoo darkâ€ to maintain public safety without the curfew. More info here at The Examiner.

“Not only has FEMA not responded to San Leon, they have given out locations where supplies are available that are fictitious. Of four “POD” distribution locations FEMA gave out over KTRH radio (9-17), one of them does not exist. Two other locations had no FEMA supplies and had no clue that they had been designated. The 4th was there but had no supplies to give out. The FEMA “POD” in Seabrook refused to let people from San Leon in. Our residents are being turned away there. It is tragic enough that our lives have been destroyed by a horrific storm. It further injures us that communities like Tomball are getting assistance and we are not. It is even worse when FEMA’s publicity people give out phony information to inflate their numbers and waste what little fuel we have sending us to places that are not distributing assistance. I realize that to many government officials, this is a “political event”. To us it is a matter of survival. If you don’t help us, we will do it ourselves. But please don’t lie to us, and don’t make things worse..”

9/20/08: GuidryNews.com has been contracted to be the official online newspoint for Galveston & Coastal Texas official announcements, re-entry news, aftermath progress, utility updates etc.Guidrynews.com

9/17/08: Firsthand account of hundreds of bodies seen in trees in Galveston. This from an oilfield executive who was allowed to check on the rigs, and therefore had to fly over Galveston. Many were seen is marshes, ditches. People who have access to the island are now being patted town by officials to ensure no camera footage would be shot and get into the media.

9/16/08: Very Important Update: A reporter and his wife who formerly lived in Tyler were on Galveston Island during Ike. The media blackout is trying to be enforced by the mayor and other city officials, but rescue workers are telling people that the death count is far more than is being reported. They are going door to door, but are leaving bodies inside of structures for now, so they can focus on rescuing those who survived. Unlike Katrina, they aren’t spray-painting “X” on the houses where the dead are. Instead they are putting discreet stickers on the structures, making them harder to see by the already handcuffed media. Click here for the Tyler Paper story and interview.

UPDATE 9/15/08: NEW NOAA Satellite Imagery Up: These are High-Res images, you will see a map of the state of Texas first, click on the area you want to see, and go from there. West end of Galveston available. Be patient, as these are high-res images that you can navigate. http://ngs.woc.noaa.gov/ike/IKE0000.HTM

Lots of people are wanting to see aerial fly-over video of Galveston Island, particularly the West end, West beach part of Galveston. Hurricane Ike wrought much destruction up and down coastal Texas. There has been a no-fly for media helicopters over the coast side of Galveston island, due to search and rescue efforts. This video is from the Coast Guard, and the contrast isn’t the greatest. There are clearer videos from the bay side.

Below is a fly over of Galveston Island from a HU-25 Falcon Jet from the Aviation Training Center in Alabama. Scenes include flooded neighborhoods, hotels, highways, an airport and flightline as well as a burning building. This video shows massive flooding and devastation on Galveston Island, Texas, and the beach side. Reports coming out of Houston are saying that much of the Bolivar Peninsula, Crystal Beach and Orange are gone, or heavily damaged. The West End was particularly hard hit.

“The devastation was horrendous,” Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc said. “I counted at least 30 homes that were out in the water. I saw homes that were picked up off the piling and set down alongside the piling. I saw massive erosion that’s occurred and tons and tons of debris.”
LeBlanc said he did see one positive thing. “We saw cattle that survived,” he said. “Must have swam around all night, but they swam and were out and walking around. That’s the only life I saw on the West End of the island. LeBlanc said it was not known if anyone stayed on the West End despite a mandatory evacuation order.

UPDATE: Crystal Beach and Bolivar are the story that is not getting told by the media. Stories are being told of a Homeland Security no-fly-zone over the Bolivar Peninsula. The aerial pictures linked here were taken by a private aircraft. Snarkista doesn’t understand WHY the mainstream media is only concentrating on Galveston and Houston, and has made essentially zero mention of the massive devastation that has occurred elsewhere along coastal Texas. These towns were not second-home type places. They have been home to permanent residents for many decades. Approximately 4000+ homes appear to be gone in this area.

UPDATE 9/15/08: In an unprecedented move, the FAA is keeping all of the news helicopters and other private aviation away from the disaster areas. The FAA has issued NO FLY ORDERS that prevents all general aviation aircraft from flying within one mile of the worst of the stricken areas, specifically the areas along the Boliver Peninsula, including the cities of Crystal Beach and Gilcrest, and the coastal city of High Island. Evacuees from those areas are reporting almost total devastation, but the media is not being allowed to see the areas and report the story. What are FEMA and the FAA trying to hide?

Channel 13 in Houston is incensed that they are being kept away from the disaster areas and that the Federal Government is trying to control the media and the story. To see the story unfolding, go to www.abclocal.go.com/ktrk/index and click on the link for “Watch live streaming video of our coverage of Ike’s aftermath” . Look for reports by Channel 13 investigative reporter Wayne Dolcefino, who is saying that the Federal Government is trying to keep the media and American people from seeing images reminiscent of New Orleans and Waveland, Mississippi until they have a chance to control the story and what America sees. Watch the video titled: “Wayne Dolcefino confronts Gov. Perry.”

Thanks for this report and your site. I am a Galvestonian who has lost his home and have two family members who lost theirs. Being kept off the island has been as tragic as our losses. However, I know the leadership and know that they are overwhelmed by the extent of the devastation. Please pray for them. They are mostly volunteers, and save for the county officials who are paid for this and are doing the best they can with the strained resources, the Galveston officials are totally unprepared for this type of event.

George, thank you for reminding me, and all of us, not to just pray for the victims…but for the leadership too. A tragedy like Ike would overwhelm the most prepared expert. I am so sorry for your losses, and for those of your family. I am praying for you all, and asking for blessings and hope for you.

Danielle (Dani) CHAPMAN and her two boys, Joel, and Addison CHAPMAN from Galveston, TX. Have not heard from them since Gustva. (approx. 9/3/08) I know IKE hit them hard, like everyone else. Not sure if they evacuated or went to a shelter. They live on the far west end of the island. (PAST JAMAICA BEACH in SEA ISLE extn3) 4115 Kent Drive. The garage door is a painted Texas flag. Don’t know what happened on that end of the island, haven’t seen pictures of its outcome.

They too are listed at The LAURA RECOVERY CENTER (LRC) website with pictures.

CALL (858) 337-9850 with any info. about them and or the area
Send info. and/or pictures: ickcole@live.com